NFL Free Agency: Byron Maxwell To Eagles Done Deal, Great News For Devin McCourty To Patriots
By Cyrus Geller
According to Jayson Braddock of Sports790.com, Byron Maxwell to the Philadelphia Eagles is a done deal. It was rumored that Maxwell would end up an Eagle, and obviously nothing will be official until Tuesday, but all indications point to the former Seahawk heading to Philly in 2015.
This is great news for the Patriots, because signing Maxwell to that kind of money will make it tough for Philly to also go after McCourty, likely giving New England the edge again in re-signing him. The Eagles wanted both McCourty and Maxwell, they likely would not be able to find enough money to sign both of them. After Houston re-signed cornerback Kareem Jackson yesterday, the Eagles had to act fast, and it looks like they have by going after Byron Maxwell.
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Staying on Maxwell for a minute, I really don’t understand him getting that much money. Yes, he’s a fine corner, but not even close to elite, and certainly not deserving of over $10 million a year. Playing with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas made him look a lot better than he actually is, and he will be exposed in Philly. Some think this deal will also affect Darrelle Revis, but I don’t think it will. Revis wants what the top corners have (Sherman, Peterson), and that is all. It has been rumored that Revis is down to the Pats and Jets, and if the numbers are semi-close, I have a good feeling he will choose New England.
Finally, going back to Devin McCourty, this doesn’t guarantee his return to New England. If there is one thing that this year’s free agency has shown us (and it technically hasn’t even started), it is that teams have money, and they are willing to spend A LOT. The Patriots on the other hand, aren’t willing to break the bank, and they may need D-Mac to take a hometown discount to stay.
Will he? I certainly hope so. He is arguably the best safety in the league, and he makes this defense run (along with Revis). We’ll know what happens with both of them over the course of the next few days.